Packaging machine



March 31, 1942. J. CATTONAR ETAL PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 7Sheets-Sheet 1 J EI'HN E X FTUNAR -BY|3EIEIREE ULM Mam mgwaa March 31,1942.

J. CATTONAR [:Tl'AL 2,277,638

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JEIHNBAT'IEINAR EEEIFEIBEI EILM amamm vflpmflflotb v v ATTORNEYS March 31,1942.

J. CATTONAR ETAL PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 3WWW U T S ST H MAE M MD Sn 0 W n m E Y D 5 March 31, 1942 J. cA-f'roNAREIAL PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 5 RM T E H ABM m N E E. J W

March 31, 1942. CATTONAR ET AL 2,277,688

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet s ,INVENTORS JUHN[ZATTEINAR BYGEZIIIR'BEZ EJLM ATTORN..Y

Mireh 31, 1942; CATTONAR ETAL 2,277,688

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INV ENTORS JEIHNCATT'EINAR GEEIREE EILM W8W/9Q7M7QW ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 31, 1942PACKAGING MACHINE John Cattonar, Brooklyn,

and George 01m,

Astoria, N. Y., assignors to Edward Ermold 00., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application July 8, 1938, Serial No. 218,214

31 Claims.

The invention relates to the art of packaging and it particularlyrelates to machines for placing bottles and other containers in boxesand simple conveying mechanisms used in all bottling plants.

The invention further has for its object to provide means whereby beersand carbonated beverages may be packaged without shocks and falls. lestthe contents be disturbed; the same for sparkling wines. while forstill" wines and other "still" beverages the same conditions may beobserved at least in part.

Further. it is an object to provide a machine whereby containers of milkand cream may be boxed without dropping them into their cases so thatall dang-er of the contents of the bottles being forced up to unseal thebottles thus rendering the sanitary sealing" useless) will beeliminated.

Again, it is an object to provide a bottle, etc., packaging machine bythe use of which the labels, stamps and other printed matter on themwill not be scratched, defaced. or otherwise damaged by springs orguides pressing too hard on them in order to break the violence oftheirfree fall into the cases.

Boxes and cases which are to be used over and over again for localdistribution (as in the case of those for beer. sodas, milk, etc.) aregenerally made of wood. while those for shipment out of the home town"and which are not to be used over again are usual y constructed ofcorrugated cardboard: it is therefore a further object of the inventionto provide a packaging machine which will so operate that the deliveryand shipping cases into which the bottles etc. are packed will not bedamaged by the packaging operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system of case feedingwhich does not require any turning around of the cases; consequently noextra effort need be spent in replacing propr-rly the filled cases onthe case conveyor in order to make them continue their travel throughthe plant in the same direction when they leave the machine as they weretraveling when they entered the machine.

Again, it is an object to provide a machine which can be built in anysize desired, whereby any size cases (containing one to twelve tiers orrows of bottle spaces with, for instance, one to twenty-four bottlespaces per tier) can be fed to and past the filling station and filledone or more rows or tiers at a time.

Further, the invention has for its object to provide an improvedbottle-placing mechanism which by simply adjusting the parts can be usedfor receiving bottles of difierent sizes and placing them into cases ofcorresponding sizes.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention stillfurther resides in the novel details of construction, combination andarrangements of parts, all of which will be first fully described in thefollowing detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the machine with the side wall atthe infeed side removed.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view illustrating those parts which are locatedabove the line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan and partsectional view of parts of themachine showing their relative positions after twelve bottles are slidover to the trap floor; the floor is shown shifted over to the rightwith the floor strips in position to support the bottles; the stopper isdrawn back, the bottle feeder shut off, the longitudinal guiding stripsare down out of the way and the jaws of the.gripper' are located justabove the tops of the bottles.

Fig. 5 is a view looking at Fig. 4 from right to left in that figure,Fig. 5 being set on end for convenience of comparison with Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation looking from bottom to top in Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a detail elevational view of the loading mechanism, showingthe relative positions of the parts thereof with the lower ends of thesprings at their lowest position inside of the pockets which the bottlesare intended to occupy.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but with the bottles entering thepockets and spreading the spring-baskets open, thereby squaring thepartitions which form the said pockets.

Fig. 9 is a' view similar to Figs and 8, showing the same mechanism withthe parts in the relative positions they assume when the bottles .platesI and 2 (see Figs 4 and 5).

to the bottom of the case; the lower ends of the are about to be freedto drop the short distance to lever 3| or distributor a: (see Figs. 1and 11). The connecting rod 38 may be connected springs having reachedthe necks of the bottles 1 where their pressure on the bottles will bethe 7 minimum. 5 v

Fig. 10 is a detail elevation showing the arrangement of the strokedistributor for the case the case pusher. Y Y Fig. 11 is a section onthe line of Fig. '10.

four largebottlesf each, or twelve bottles per case.

Fig.13 is a detail view of the-mechanism shown in Fig. 7,looking'from'right 'toleft'in Fig. 7;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail view of -a portion of a gripper, partly inelevation and, partly in section.

Fig. 15' is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 14, looking fromright to left in Fig. 14, and

also showing the gripper jaw |4'|, lowered to;

reach a shorter or'lower bottle.

.feeder which is fastened to the sprocket that carries the chain of thefeeder, and a-portion of 'the chain itself with the cross barthatcarries to point 28 when the distributor '38 (Fig. 12) is used. I v

' The distributor 32 is designed to. impart two long and two shortstrokes to the case-feeding or transferring cross-conveyor. As shown inFig.

10 and Fig. 11, the distributor 32 is fastened to sprocket 44 and hasfour radial recesses of which two long ones 33, 33 and two short ones34, 34

are 'altemated and diametrically opposite to each other. The lever 3|embraces the hub of distributor disc 32 and swings on it. The lever isbuilthollow and in the housing'35 so formed is a pawl 36 of which thestem carries a compression spring 31 which compels pawl 36 to remain incontact with the walls of the recesses Fig. 16 is a detail view showingthe trap floor with a portion of the slider, the parts-being in theposition at the forward stroke of the slider,

the bottles being indicated as resting on the strips I21.

Fig. 17 is a view slider at the limit of its return stroke and 1indicating how the bottles are dropped between the strips I21. v

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, in which likenumerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all figures,.|and 2 represent respectively the back and front frames or wall-plates ofthe machine (cal g'the plate 2 on the infeed side the front plate) Theseplates have suitable bearings 3 for the ain or cam shaft 5, and bearings4 for the rock-shaft 2s.

application of power thereto in any of the usual similar toFig. l6 withthe 33 and 34. The swing of the lever 3| will be the same at very cycleof the machine, 1. e., equal to the peripheral length of the largerecess 33 so that in one stroke it will bring pawl 36 from the pointshown in Fig. 10 to the equivalent point inside of I recess 34 and withits return stroke it will impart to the case feeder a long stroke.

' The lever 3|"will next swing back from the engaging point of recess 34to almost the middle of the next large recess 33 and with its returnstroke pawl 36 will slide idly on the walls of recess 33until it hitsthe engaging point of recess 33 and for the remaining part only of itsreturn stroke will impart to the case-feeder the so-called "short strokewhich will be equal to the peripheral length of recess 34. To this pointin two strokes one case will be filled and with a complete revolution ofdistributor 32 four strokes will have been imparted to the case-feederand two cases with four tiers of six bottles each will have been filled,each case containing twentyfour' bottles.

The .same principl applies to the distributor disc 38 of Fig. 12.whichhas six recesses, of which two are long 4|, 4|, and four are short, 42,42,

ways (not shown) as, for example, by being operatively connected to thebottling machine,

or by direct motor-drivenconnections, as is common practice and, per se,is not part of the invention. The speed of rotation of shaft 5 must,

43, 43. In this casethe long stroke is shorter than in distributor 32.Therefore when disc 38 isto be used, connecting rod 38 is attached at.point 28 to lever 25 where a shorter basic stroke is available. Withsix strokes of lever 3| one complete revolution of disc 38 will havebeen =made and two cases of three tiers of four bottles .eacli will havebeen fed through the machine and filled, one tier of four bottles at atime, each however, be synchronized to that of the filled bottledelivery conveyor (not shown) of the bottling plant employing thepresent invention.

and I2 of the bottle feeder. The shaft 8 also has a driving sprocket l3around which, and a sprocket l5 on the driven shaft [6, the transmissionchain 4 p sses (see Figs. 1 and 2).

The shaft I6 ha a driving sprocket l6 around which, and around an idlersprocket l8, the chain H of the outfeedv or discharge conveyor passes.

The bottle feeder chains II and I2 pass around sprockets 9 and 28 at theinfeed orfront side of the machin and extend across betweenthe Therearethree cams on shaft 5. i. e., cams 2|, 22 and 23.

The track of cam 2| engages the. roller 24 of P case containing twelvebottles.

Sprocket 44 is keyed fast on shaft 58 and at the other end of the casefeeder sprocket 45 is keyed fast to shaft 5|. These sprockets 44 and 45carry a chain 46. sprocket 41 is keyed to shaft 5|Land sprocket 48 iskeyed to shaft 5|. These sprockets carry a chain 49. The shaft 56 runsin bearings 52 and 53 in frames or wall-plates 2 and respectively,and'shaft 5| runs in bearings 54 and 55 in the plates 2 andrespectively.

.Chains 46 and 49 carry standard attachments 56 to which are fastenedcross bars 51 squarely connecting the two chains. On cross bars 51 aremounted the case pushers.

-.of two side brackets 58 which, with rollers 59,

serve to bring the case to the proper place on the discharger, and anangle 60 between the two' 48, with their respective chains 46 and 49,end

At the other side,

They each consist shafts 50 and i) can be moved a convenient distanceforward or backward in order to bring to the loading lines shorter orlonger caseswithout disconnecting or disturbing in any way thedistributor and relative mechanism.

The cases entering the machine (infeed)- ride on rollers 6| first andthen over rollers 62 to.a certain point where their infeedis arrested bya guide I16 which runs alongside of plate I, and the box is therebylined up properly with the grippers. From this point the cases are takenalong by the case pushers on bars 51 and fed through the loading linesor station. While being loaded the cases ride on rollers 63 and whenfilled rollers 59 on the brackets 58 will push the cases over roller 64onto the discharge or outfeed conveyor (discharger). Brackets 65,fastened on plate 2 support roller 6|; brackets 66 and 68. fastened onplate 2 support rollers 62 and 63; and brackets 61 and 68, fastened onplate I, support rollers 62 and 63 also. Roller 64 is supported by itsown brackets fastened on the frame of the discharger.

Case pusher 12 on discharge chain I1 will ride the filled cases on twoseries of rollers and II and discharge them from the machine.

Brackets 13 and 14, fastened on plate I, support sprocket I6,'andbracket80, fastened on plate 2, supports sprocket I8 of the discharger. Thedischarger chain I1 has flat links which run on angles 15. These angles,together with bars 16 and 11, form the frame for the rollers 10 and H.and of the whole discharger; and the whole is supported by the plates Iand 2 of the machine.

To facilitate the discharge of the cases, an exi tension of thedischarge conveyor is built outside the frame. Rollers 10" and H framedin angles 15, and bars 18 and 19 constitute the extension which issupported by wall-plate I. Bearing 13- supports shaft I6 of sprockets I5and I6 at the far end.

In the slot 29 of the long arm of lever is fastened one end ofconnecting rod 8I of which the other end connects with one end of lever82. Lever 82 has its other end keyed fast on shaft 83. With thisarrangement an oscillating motion is imparted to shaft 83 which works inbearings 84 and 85. Levers 86 and 81, also keyed fast to shaft 83, carryat their other ends rollers 88 which roll in slots 89 of bearings 90 and9| fastened on bottle slider 92.

Slider 92 slides in its side guides 93 at the side of the plate 2 and 94at the side of the plate I. With this arrangement, oscillations of shaft83 are translated, into'linear motion of slid-er92 which will slidetwelve bottles over to the trap floor. Slot 29 in lever 25 will permitadjustments of strokes for slider 92 in order to bring to the desiredplace on the trap floor, bottles of different diameters.

Fastened to the side of slider 92, at the near side of Figs. 1. and 6,is a shoe 95 which, when going forward with slider 92, will'press downon roller 96 which is fastened at about the middle of lever 91. Lever 91is connected to lever 98 at which connection point they carry rollers 99and at their other ends they connect, lever 91 with point I00 of leverI02, and 98 with point IOI of lever I03. One end of lever I02 connects,through link I04. to shutter I06, while the other end is pivoted at I08.The corresponding end of lever I03 connects, through link I05, withshutter I01 opposite to shutter I06 on the feeder, and the other end ofthe lever is pivoted at I09.

The action of shutting off the bottle feed is III now quite evident. Bythe action of shoe 95, levers 91 and 98 are lowered at their commonconnection point, rollers 99 will roll down into guide IIO. This motionwill drag levers I02 and I03 toward the center of the feeder, and bymeans of links I04 and I05 and shutters I06 and I01 will shut off thebottle feeder. Tension springs I I I will return the mechanism to itsformer position when shoe releases its pressure on roller 96 on thereturn stroke of slider 92.

A brace 91 is hinged on lever 91, on which brace a longitudinal guidingstrip 91 is fastened (see Figs. 4 and 6)..

A brace 98 is hinged to lever 98 and a longitudinal guiding strip 98 issecured to the brace 98. J

On cross plate 99 is fastened a longitudinal guid ng strip 99 that islocated between and parallel to strips 91 and 98*.

It will readily be seen that when, by the action of shoe 95, levers 91and 98 are lowered, hinged rraces 9'1 and 98 will also be lowered andlongitudinal braces or strips 91*, 98 and 99 will be brought downsufliciently to be out of the way of oncoming bottles being slid, byslider 92, from the bottle infeed conveyors II and I2 into positionbeneath the bottle grippers.

The shutters I06 and I01 slide in guides H2 and H3.

At the far end of the bottle infeeders proper is a bottle infeedstopping device comprising a stopper II4 having two stems that slide inthe hubs of bottle guide II5, between which and the stopper I I4, on thestems are compression springs I I6. A1; the opposite side of guide II5,the stems of stopper II4 are fast on a cross bracket II1 which carries aroller II8 that engages in the track of guide II9 fastened on slider 92.This mechanism is constructed to measure a length of six bottles-twelvein two linesand when the sl der 92 moves forward, track II9, engagingroller II8, will force stopper II4 backward not only preventing jammingof the bottles but also giving a convenient clearance between them tofacilitate sliding them over to the trap floor.

To an extension of slider 92, at the end near guide 94, is bolted abracket I20 which at its end carries-a roller I 2I that engages in slotI22 of trap floor I23. The trap floor I23"is a cast frame with aprominence for slot I22, one side sliding in guide I 24 covered by acover I25 and the other side being supported by a cross bar I26.

Across the sides and fastened on them the floor carries verticallydisposed strips I21. As will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 4, thefloor is shifted. by action of roller I2I in slot I22, to the right whenslider 92 slides over the twelve bottles; thus strips I21 arebroughtinto position for the bottles to slide on and be supported.

Cross uides II5, I28, I29 and I30, fastened on cover I25, will hold thebottles at their sides and will keep them divided in twos. By the returnstroke of slider 92, floor I23 will be shifted to the left and so stripsI21 will be moved to the spaces under guides I28, I29 and I30, orbetween the botles which at this point will be handled by the grippercarriage.

The gripper carriage is separately actioned by cam 22 on shaft 5. Thetrack of cam 22 engages roller I3I of lever I32, one end of which isconnected to link I33 and the other end of which is pivoted on shaft 26.The short arm of lever I34 connects with link I33, while its long armconnects wih link I35. The levers fulcrum is on shaft I36 to which it iskeyed fast. A lever I38 is also keyed at'one end fast on shaft I36,while the other end connects with link I39. Shaft I36 oscillates in itsbearings which are fastened on plates I and 2, and levers I34 and 138are connected to the gripper carriage by means of links I35 and I39; abrace I31 connects lever I34 with lever I38 so asto form, with them, arigid frame.

The gripper carriage consists of two cross bars I 40 and HI. Their endsare fastened to sliding heads I43 and I45 which slide vertically inguides I44 fastened on plates I and 2. Six double grippers are set intothe carriage and each gripper consists of a part I46 that has two legsat the ends of which are attached jaws I41 designed to fit the shape ofthe neck of the bottle and at one arm of which is a roller I48. Thewhole of gripper part I46 swings on cross shaft I42. Parts I49 and I50,fastened on cross bars I40 and I,

also carry at their free ends two jaws I41 and do not swing but arerigid with cross bars I40-I4I. The gripper jaws I41 are adjustable onthe ends of the gripper legs by means of set screws and slots; thispermits jaws I41 to be lifted up or lowered down in order to reachhigher or lower bottles. Tension springs I5I, attached one end to oneleg of part I46 and-the other end to the opposite part of I49, tend toforce the two legs of part I46 against the legs of parts I49 and I50,respectively, so looking the necks of the bottles. A beveled bar I52,having its ends fastened to plates I and 2, and a beveled bar I53,supported by braces I54 and I55, are located at convenient levels forrollers I48 to strike and roll on, thus freeing and locking the bottlesat the desired times. Braces I56 and I51 serve to connect and serve asframes for beveled bars I52 and I53.

When the twelve bottles are slid over floor I23, jaws I 41 are justabove the tops of the bottles (see Fig. 6), rollers I48 are-on the sideof bar I52; the mechanism connected to cam 22 will lower the gripperscarriage, rollers I48 will roll over bevel of bar I52, freeing springsI5I to act on the legs of the grippers and so lock the necks of thebottles into jaws I41; as trap floor I23 will have been shifted to theleft toward plate 2, the bottles locked to jaws I41, together with thegripper carriage, will start their downward travel toward the empty casebelow .until rollers I48 will strike on beveled bar I53, and therebycause the jaws to open and so free the bottles.

The track of cam 23, on shaft 5, engages a roller I58 on the short armof lever I59 whose long arm carries a roller I6I which rolls in ahorizontal guide I63 of a vertical shaft I65. The fulcrum of lever I59is on the shaft 26 to which it is keyed fast. So also is one end oflever I60 whose other end has a roller I62 which rolls in a horizontalguide I64 of vertical shaft I66. Vertical shaft I65 slides in bearingsI61 and I68 on plate 2, while vertical shaft I66 slides in bearings I69and I10 fastened on plate I opposite to bearings I61 and I68.

To a downward projection of guides I63 and I64 are attached the extendedarms of the spring baskets frame "I which has a longitudinal bar I12 andcross bars I13 fastened on frame I" itself, thereby forming a system oftwelve squares. Over the bars and end frame of which the spring basketlabyrinth is made are folded and fastened the springs, of which sixteendouble-leafed springs I14 and sixteen single-leafed springs I 15 formthe twelve spring baskets through which the twelve bottles or containersare to be lowered.

Figs. 14 and 15 show the springs I5I,'one end of each of which is hookedto a projection I49 on the side of the bar I49 which does not swing,being fastened to the bar I40 of the gripper carriage; the other ends ofthe springs I5I are similarly hooked up at I46 to the other leg of partI46 (not shown in Fig. 14, but shown in Fig. 1),

which does swing on the shaft I42 of the gripper carriage. It will beapparent from Fig. 7 that when rollers I48 strike on beveled bar I53,part I46 with its two legs at the left of the bottles (two rows) willsWing freeing the bottles, while parts I49 and I50, their legs, oneeach, on the right of the bottles, will remain immovable, being fast onbars I40 and HI respectively of the gripper carriage.

The adjustment of the jaws I41 of the grippe for the handling of shorteror taller bottles is accomplished as follows: the end of the legs ofparts I46, I 49 and I50 have a prominence I82 running lengthwise whichfits and slides into a groove milled on jaws I41. A slot I83 is also cutin each of the jaws I41 and in the slot slides a set screw I84 thatfastens the jaws I 41 in any required position on parts I46, I49 and I50to suit the height of the bottles to be" handled.

As shown in Fig. 13, the crate C being fed into the machine (left toright) is stopped by a guiding rail I16 (hereinbefore referred to) whichwill also serve to align and guide the crates through the loading lines.

Rods I18, fast on rails I16 and I11, slide into sleeves I19 which areflanged and fastened to frame-plates I and 2 respectively. Nuts Ioutside of the frame-plates I and 2 serve to adjusting purposes; ifshorter or longer boxes are to be fed, while compression springs I8Iwill take the thrust of slightly unequal boxes.

In the drawings the bottles are indicated by the letter B, and theboxes, cases or crates by the letter C. When in the specification andclaims we use the terms boxes, cases or crates, it is to be understoodthat these terms are interchangeable and are not terms of limitation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is thought that the complete construction, operation andadvantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art,and we desire it to be understood that changes in the details of theconstruction, arrangement and design of the parts may readily be made bythose skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of theinvention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, having an infeed station, anoutfeed station and a filling station for the crates, means to locate ina predetermined position the crate at the infeed station, the fillingstation being located between the infeed and outfeed stations, meanscontinuously feeding the bottles to the machine at the filling station,means to locate the bottles at the filling station in proper positionsfor lowering into crate pockets beneath, means to arrest the infeedingof bottles when a desired row has been located above the crate until thesame shall have been deposited into the crate, means to grip the bottlesabove the crate and lower the same into the crate together, saidgripping means including gripping jaws which are normally located abovethe bottle necks and means to move the jaws down over the bottle necksinto gripping engagement therewith, and spring baskets through which thebottles are lowered and by which the bottles are guided into the crate,and means for lowering the baskets into and lifting them out of thecrate, the complete loading operation for the crate being conducted in aplurality of stages or steps during the time the crate is passed fromthe infeed to the outfeed station.

2. In a machine of the class described, wherein crates havingcompartments arranged in iongitudinal and transverse rows are passedfrom an infeed to an outfeed station through an intermediate station,the combination of bottle infeeding conveyors for delivering bottles intwo or more longitudinal rows side by side to the intermediate station,means for bodily moving the crates laterally from the infeed through theintermediate to the outfeed station, by alternate long and short stepsfor purposes described, and mans for placing the rows of bottles as aunit into the case, said last named means including vertically movablebottle-neck gripping jaws, one set for each row of bottles, said jawsbeing normally located directly above the bottles and constructed to belowered to the bottles, and means to operate said jaws simultaneouslyfor the purrow bottle infeed conveyor, a slider for pushing the bottlesfrom the bottle infeed conveyor, a bottle feed cut-off located at afixed place at the side of the machine where the bottles enter, a bottlerow partition'between each two rows of bottles, and means actuated bysaid slider as it moves from position to position for lowering saidpartition to clear the bottles, actuating said bottle feed cut-off andarresting the feeding of bottles to the machine after a predeterminednumber have entered. I

4. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeed conveyor, aslider for pushing the bottles from the bottle infeed conveyor, a bottlefeed cut-off at the side of the machine where the bottles enter, meansactuated by said slider as it moves from position to position foractuating said bottle feed cut-off and arresting the feeding of bottlesto the machine after a' predetermined number have entered, said actuatedmeans comprising a shutter for each bottle row, a system of levers andlinks to operate the shutters, and a shoe carried by said slider toco-operate with said lever and link system to move the shutters toclosed position as said slider advances.

5'. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeed conveyor, aslider for pushing the bottles from the bottle infeed conveyor, a bottlefeed cut-ofi at the side of the machine where the bottles enter, meansactuated by said slider as it moves from position to position foractuating said bottle feed cut-off and arresting the feed ing of bottlesto the machine after a predetermined number have entered, meanscomprising a shutter for each bottle row, a system of levers and linksto operate the shutters, a shoe carried by said slider to cooperate withsaid lever and link system to move the shutters to closed position assaid slider advances, and spring means to return the shutters to openposition as said slider retreats.

6. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeedingmechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles onthe conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine,vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles ontheconveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles off theconveyor onto the trap floor, and meansactuated 'by said slider as itadvances forioperating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing saidguiding strips to free the row of bottles, and means to open the trapfloor to permit the bottles to be lowered therethrough and 'means togrip the bottles before the trap floor is opened and to lower thebottles after the trap floor has been opened. I i

7. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeedingmechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles onthe conveyor after a predetermined number have entered ,the machine,vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles on theconveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles off the conveyoronto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as it advances foroperating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guidingstrips to free the row of bottles, said arresting means including ashutter, a lever for moving saidshutter to and fro, a guiding stripcarrier, a link connecting said lever to said carrier, a shoe on saidslider and engaging a member on said lever to move it to close saidshutter and withdraw said guiding strips during the forward movement ofsaid slider, and means operable on the return movement of the slider foragain opening the shutter and restoring said guide strips. I

8. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeedingmechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles onthe conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine,vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding thebottles on theconsaid actuated veyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles oilthe conveyor onto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as itadvances for operating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing saidguiding strips to free the row of bottles, and means for operating saidtrapiloor to open and close the same in harmony with the movements ofthe slider, and means to grip 'thefbottles before the trap floor isopened and to lower the bottles through the opening after the trap floorhas been opened.

9. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeedingmechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles onthe conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine,vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles on theconveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles off the conveyoronto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as it advances foroperating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guidingstrips to free the row of bottles, said trap floor having spaced apartbottle-rest strips, the spaces between adjacent strips being wide enoughto permit the bottles to pass through the floor when the floor has beenshifted tomove the bottle-rest strips from under the bottles, means forshifting said trap floor to open and close,",

the same in harmony with the movements of the slider, said last namedmeans comprising means to slidably mount the trap floor, and meansconnecting the slider with the trap fioor to move the trap floor partsto their open or release position during the return movement of saidslider, and means to grip the bottles and lower them through the trapfloor spaces when the trap floor is in the open position.

p when said floor has been moved to open posi- 10. In a machine of theclass described, a. trap floor, a bottle infeeding mechanism including aconveyor, means to arrest the following bottles on the conveyor after apredetermined number have entered the machine, vertical longitudinalguiding strips for holding the bottles on the conveyor in line, a sliderto push the row of bottles oil the conveyor onto the trap floor, meansactuated by said slider as it advances for operating saidbottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guiding strips to free therow of bottles, said arresting means including a shutter, a lever formoving said shutter to and fro, a guiding strip carrier, 9. linkconnecting said lever to said carrier, a shoe on said slider andengaging a member on said lever to move it to close said shutter andwithdraw said guiding strips during the forward movement of said slider,means operable on the return movement of the slider for again openingthe shutter and restoring said guide strips, means for operating saidtrap floor to open and close the same in harmony with the movements ofthe slider, said last named means comprising means to slidably mountthe.

chine oiT said conveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed,and means operated by the advance movement of said slider for movingsaid shutter to keep out following bottles after the line or row ofbottles in the machine on the conveyor shall have engaged said stopper,means operated by the movement of said slider for retracting saidstopper as said slider starts its for-'- ward movement, and meansoperated by the movement of the slider for closing the. trap floor priorto pushing over the bottles thereon on the return movement of theslider,

-12. .In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeeding conveyorextending across theimafrom saidconveyor and for opening the trap floorchine for delivering bottles in a row, a shutter cut-ofi at the ingoingside of the conveyor, a stopper toward which the bottles are Ied by saidconveyor, a slider for simultaneously pushing all bottles that are onthe conveyor within the machine off said conveyor, a trap floor ontowhich the bottles are pushed, means operated by the advance movement ofsaid slider for moving said shutter to keep out following bottles afterthe line or row of bottles in the machine on the conveyor shall haveengaged said stopper, means operated by the movement of said slider forretracting said stopper as said slider starts its forward movement,means operated by the movement of the slider for closing the trap floorprior to pushing over the bottles thereon from said conveyor and foropening the trap floor on the return movement of the slider, a bottlegripper over the trap floor, and means to actuate said gripper to gripsaid bottles by their necks while they are on the trap floor and holdthem while the trap floor opens and for passing the bottles.

down through the openings of the trap floor tion;

13. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeeding conveyorextending across the machine for delivering bottles in a row, a shuttercut-oiI at the ingoing side of the conveyor, a stopper toward'which thebottles are fed by said conveyor, a slider for simultaneously pushingall bottles that are on the conveyor within the machine oif saidconveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed, means operatedby the advance movement of said slider for moving said shutter to keepout following bottles after-the line or row of bottles in the machine onthe conveyor shall have engaged said stopper, means operated by themovement of said slider for retracting said stopper as said sliderstarts its forward movement, means operated by the movement-of theslider for "closing" the trap floor priori to pushing over the bottlesthereon from said conveyor and for opening the trap floor on the returnmovement of the slider, a bottle gripper over the trap floor, means toactuate said gripper to grip said bottles by their necks while they areon the trap floor and hold them while the trap floor opens and forpassing the bottles down through the openings of the trap floor whensaid floor has beenmoved to open position, and means to release saidgrippers from the bottle necks after the bottles have been lowered adesired distance through the trap floor.

14. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeeding conveyorextending across the machine for delivering bottles in a row, a shuttercut-ofi at the ingoing side of the conveyor, a stopper toward which thebottles are fed by said conveyor, a slider for simultaneously pushingall bottles that are on the conveyor within the machine ofl saidconveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed, 'meansoperated by the advance movement or said slider for moving said shutterto keep out following bottles after the line or row of bottles in themachine on the conveyor shallhave engaged said stopper, means I operatedby the movement or said slider for retracting'said stopper as saidslider starts its forward movement, means operated by the movement ofthe slider for closing the trap floor prior tovpushing over the bottlesthereon from said conveyor and for opening the trap floor on @the returnmovement of the slider, a bottle gripperover the trap floor, means toactuate said gripper to grip said bottles by their necks while they areon the trap floor and hold them while the trap floor opens and forpassing the bottles down through the openings or the trap floor whensaid floor has been moved to open'? posi- -tion, means to release saidgrippers from the bottle necks after the bottles have been lowered adesired distance through the trap floor, and spring baskets beneath thetrap floor to receive the bottles as they pass below the trap floor, and

means causing said baskets to follow the contained bottles during aportion of their lowering movement, said bottles being free to be passedthrough said baskets when released from said grippers,

15. In a machine oi the'class described, a bottle gripping, lowering andreleasing mechanism, in-

eluding a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads aresupportedfor vertical movement,

a cross-shaft extending between said heads, a gripper carriage includingsaid heads, a gripper bar, fixed to said carriage, a cooperating gripperbar pivotedon said cross-shaft, said gripper bars each having a,gripping jaw, co+operating one with the other to grip and hold a bottleby its neck adjacent its mouth, an arm on said shaft, spring meanscontinuously urging said jaws to grip, means to raise and lower saidgripper carriage, and means cooperating with said arm to open said jawsat the upper limit of the movement of the carriage and again at thelower extremity of the movement of said carriage for gripping andlowering and then releasing a bottle. 16. In a machine of the classdescribed, a bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism,including a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads aresupported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extending between saidheads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripper bar fixed tosaid carriage, a cooperating gripper bar pivoted on said cross-shaft,said gripper bars each having a gripping jaw, cooperating one with. theother to grip and hold a bottle by its neck adjacent its mouth, an armon said shaft, spring means continuously urging said jaws to grip, meansto raise and lower said gripper carriage, means cooperating with saidarm to open said jaws at the upper limit of the movement of the carriageand again at the lower extremity of the movement of said carriage forgripping and lowering and then releasing a bottle, a trap floor toreceive the bottles to be cased, a case-conveyor beneath said floor forpositioning cases to receive the bottles from the bottle gripping,lowering and releasing mechanism, timed means to open the trap floorafter the bottles have been gripped and through the openings in whichfloor the bottles are lowered, spring baskets beneath the trap fioor andabove the level of the case beneath, and means for holding the basketsclose to the trap fioor first to receive the bottles, then lowering thebaskets with the contained bottles into the case and then moving thebaskets out of the case along the bottles upwardly, the bottlereleasingmeans being efiective to release the bottles when the lower ends of thebasket springs, on the return movement, are over the shoulders of thebottles.

17. In a machine of the class described, a bottle ripping, lowering andreleasing mechanism, including a pair of sliding heads, means in whichsaid heads are supported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extendingbetween said heads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripperbar fixed to said carriage, a cooperating gripper bar pivoted on saidcross-shaft, said gripper bars each having a gripping jaw, cooperatingone with the other to grip and hold a bottle by its neck adjacent itsmouth, an arm on said shaft, spring means continuously urging said jawsto grip, means to raise and lower said gripper cariiage, meanscooperating with said arm to open said jaws at the upper limit of themovement of the carriage and again at the lower extremity of themovement of said carriage for gripping and lowering and then releasing abottle, a trap floor to receive the bottles to be cased, a caseconveyorbeneath said floor for positioning cases to receive the bottles from thebottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism, timed means to openthe trap fioor after the bottles have been gripped and through theopenings in which floor tiie bottles are lowered, spring baskets beneaththe trap floor and above the level of the case beneath, and means forholding the baskets close to the trap floor first to receive thebottles, then lowering the baskets with the contained bottles into thecase and then moving the baskets out of the case along the bottlesupwardly, the bottle releasing means being effective to release thebottles when the lower ends of the basket springs, on the returnmovement, are over the shoulders of the bottles, said spring basketseach including a frame and depending spring-fingers whose lower endscurve inwardly together, said ends being spread by the passing bottleserving to center the pocket of the case which receives the bottle.

18. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor comprising askeleton frame having cross strips, means to mount said frame forendwise sliding movement, a bottle infeed conveyor parallel to the trapfloor, a slider to push a row of bottles from said conveyor onto thecross strips of said frame as the slider moves forward, and connectionsbetween said slider and said trap floor for moving the trap floor towithdraw the cross strips from beneath the bottles so that the bottlesmay pass through the floor between adjacent cross strips, as said sliderreturns to its inactive or rearward position.

19. In a machine of the class described, a bottle gripping, lowering andreleasing mechanism,

including a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads aresupported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extending between saidheads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripper bar fixed tosaid carriage, a co-operating gripper bar pivoted on said cross-shaft,adjustable gripping jaws secured to said gripper bars and cooperativeone with the other to grip and hold a bottle by its neck, spring meanscontinuously urging said jaws to grip, means to raise and lower saidgripper carriage, and means co-operating with said pivoted gripper barfor opening said jaws to receive and release a bottle.

20. In a machine for packaging bottles in cases, having a plurality ofrows and tiers of bottle-receiving pockets, a loading station wherebottles are placed in the cases in a plurality of rows at a time, anendless chain conveyor having a series of case pushers'spacedapart agreater distance than the width of the cases, and means to move saidconveyor in steps, first in a long step to bring a case into place toreceive bottles in at least two rows of pockets and then in a shorterstep to bring at least another two rows of pockets into position toreceive other bottles at the loading station, and means to place atleast two rows of bottles in a case at a time.

21. In a machine for packaging bottles in cases, having a plurality ofrows and tiers of bottle-receiving pockets, a loading station wherebottles are placed in the cases in a row or rows at a time, an endlesschain conveyor having a series of case pushers spaced apart a greaterdistance than the width of the cases, means to move said conveyor insteps, first in a long step to bring a case into place to receivebottles in at least one row of pockets and then in a shorter step tobring at least another row of pockets into position to receive otherbottles at the loading station, said conveyor-moving means including adistributor disc, a conveyor driving sprocket to which said disc isattached, said disc having suitably spaced ratchet-like recesses, aswinging lever carrying a disc-engaging pawl, and powerapplying timedmeans to swing said lever.

22. In a machine of the class described, a frame having an openingthrough which the cases to be filled are serially inserted, a casestopper against which the cases are placed on their insertion into themachine, a case conveyor running transversely of the direction in whichthe cases are inserted and having pushers tom ve the cases transverselyaway from the place where they are introduced, said case stopper comrising a yieldable guide rail, rods attached to he backof said guiderail, flxed sleeves on said frame through which said rods pass, nuts onthe outerends of said rods, and springs on said rods and said sleevesbetween said guide rail and said frame.

23. In a machine of the class described, a frame having an openingthrough which the cases to be filled are serially inserted, a casestopper against which the cases are placed on their insertion into themachine, a case conveyor running transversely of the direction in whichsaid cases are inserted and having at least one pusher to move the casestransversely away from the place where they are introduced, said casestop-- per comprising a yieldable guide rail, and a pair of springloaded guide rails yield-ably and adjustably mounted on said frame andspaced apart to receive the cases pushed from the place where they werefirst received in the machine, said pair of guide rails being designedto receive between them and to center and guide cases of variouslengths.

24. In a machine of the class described, wherein crates havingcompartments arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows are passedfrom an infeed to an outfeed station through an intermediate station,the combination of bottle infeeding means for delivering bottles in rowsto the intermediate station, means for bodily moving the crateslaterally from the infeed station through the intermediate station tothe outfeed station by first a long step to locate the first row ofcrate pockets to receive bottles and then by a shorter step to locatesucceeding rows of crate pockets in position to receive bottles, saidcratemoving means comprising an endless conveyor, a distributor disc, aconveyor driving sprocket to which said disc is attached, said dischaving suitable spaced ratchet-like recesses, a swinging lever carryinga disc-engaging pawl, and powerapplying timed means to swing said lever.

25. In a machine of the class described, a bottle gripping, lowering andreleasing mechanism including a pair of sliding heads, means in whichsaid heads are supported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extendingbetween said heads, two cross-bars connecting said heads and lying oneto each side of said shaft, a gripper bar fixed to each cross-bar, aduplex gripper bar mounted on said cross-shaft one bar of which duplexgripper bar cooperates with one of said fixed gripper bars and the otherbar of which cooperates with the other fixed gripper bar, said gripperbars each having a gripper jaw, said gripper bars being formed to griptwo spacedapart bottles at a time, springs connecting the fixed gripperbars to the pivoted gripper bars for continuously urging the jaws toclose, means to lower and raise said heads and the parts carriedthereby, and means cooperating with said lowering and raising means andsaid duplex gripper bar for opening said jaws at the upper and lowerpositions of said heads respectively.

26. In a machine of the class described, in combination, means to enterempty crates endwise into the machine by movement in one direction,means to discharge filled crates endwise from the machine in the samedirection, the two aforesaid means being laterally spaced apart, meansfor bodilymoving the crates sidewise from the first mentioned means tothe second mentioned means through a filling station,

amuse means to feed bottles in at least one row in the direction of saidfirst and second means above the level of the crates at the fillingstation, spring-finger baskets at the filling station above the level ofthe crates and below the level of the bottle feeding means, means togrip the bottles at the filling station, lower them into the baskets,lower the baskets and bottles together into the crates and thereafterrelease the bottles and withdraw the bottle gripping means and thebaskets from the crates.

27. In a machine of the class described, wherein crates havingcompartments arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows are passedfrom an infeed to an outfeed station through an intermediate station,the combination of bottle infeeding conveyors for delivering bottles intwo or more longitudinal rows side by side to the intermediate station,means for bodily moving the crates laterally from the infeed through theintermediate to the outfeed station, by alternate long and short stepsfor purposes described, and means for placing the rows of bottles as aunit into the case, said last named means including a set of bottlegrippersnormally located at a higher level than that 01 the tops of thebottles to be lowered and means for operating the grippers to grip allrows of bottles and simultaneously lower them into the crates.

28. In a packaging machine, the combinations of a bottleinfeed'conveyor; a bottle feed cut-off for segregating a predeterminednumber of bottles fed to the, machine by said bottle infeed conveyor;arresting means for stopping the feeding of bottles after saidpredetermined number have entered the machine; strips at each side ofthe infeed conveyor within the machine; means for lowering said stripsfrom their initial position; a slider at a right angle to the infeedconveyor for pushing thepredetermined number of bottles off the infeedconveyor; means actuated by said slider as said slider moves during aportion of its forward stroke only, to operate during such portion ofthe stroke, the bottle feed cutoil, and to operate the strip loweringmeans to lower the strips; and spring means for returning said stripsand said bottle infeed conveyor to their initial positions as saidslider is returning to its initial position to enable a newpredetermined number of bottles to be fed intothe machine guided by saidstrips.

29. In a bottle packaging machine, a spring basket member consisting ofleaves for surrounding the bottom and body of a bottle, means forlowering the basket with the bottle into a case, and means forwithdrawing the leaves from the bottle by an upward movement along thebody of the bottle after said bottle has entered a pocket in the case tobe filled, means for gripping the neck of the-bottle for feeding thebottle 1 into a pocket in a case when surrounded by said leaves, andmeans for releasing the gripping means from the neck of the bottle whenthe end of said spring leaves have reached the shoulder of the bottle.

30. In a packaging machine, a case-support adapted to receive an emptycase at the side of the machine and enable its conveyance longitudinallyof the machine in a direction at rightangles to the direction of itsentry, a springthe case with the end of the case along said guide-bar, asecond spring-actuated guide-bar parallel with the first guide-bar, andspaced from said guide-bar about the length of a case, in order thatboth guide-bars act to clampingly hold between them the said case as itis being pushed longitudinally of the machine by the pusher, saidguide-bar having a curved end to enable the cases to freely enter withinthe guidebar, a bottle-loading device in the path of the case forloading bottles into the lengthwise compartments of the case while thecase is being held in proper position in respect to the loading deviceby the parallel guide-bars, and a conveyor for discharging the loadedcases disposed beyond the loading device for receiving loaded cases whenthe cases are freed of the parallel guidebars.

31. In a bottle-packaging machine, the combination of means forsupporting a bottle fed thereto and arranged above a case to be loaded,said supporting means being within about onehalf the diameter of thebottle, said supporting means being under the bottle and acting as thesole support for the bottle, a bottle-neck gripping means for grippingthe neck of the bottle, means for withdrawing said bottle-supportingmeans to enable the bottle to drop save for the gripping means saidwithdrawing means being movable not more than one-half the diameter ofthe bottle to enable the bottle to drop, means for moving thebottle-gripping means with the bottle below the bottle-supporting means,said bottle gripping means gripping the bottle neck before thebottle-supporting means are withdrawn, and upon the withdrawal loweringthe bottle to a compartment of the case to be loaded.

JOHN CA'I'IONAR.

GEORGE OLM.

